quintessence
Americannoun
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the pure and concentrated essence of a substance.
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the most perfect embodiment of something.
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(in ancient and medieval philosophy) the fifth essence or element, ether, supposed to be the constituent matter of the heavenly bodies, the others being air, fire, earth, and water.
noun
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the most typical representation of a quality, state, etc
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an extract of a substance containing its principle in its most concentrated form
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(in ancient and medieval philosophy) ether, the fifth and highest essence or element after earth, water, air, and fire, which was thought to be the constituent matter of the heavenly bodies and latent in all things
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of quintessence
1400–50; Middle English < Medieval Latin quīnta essentia fifth essence
Explanation
The quintessence of something is its perfect, ideal example. Some people say that the quintessence of American cuisine is the hamburger. Vegetarians may beg to differ. Ancient Greek philosophers claimed there were five elements: earth, water, air, fire, and a fifth substance that made up objects in the heavens. This idea was passed down through the ages to Latin-speaking scholars who called the fifth element quintessence — from the Latin words quintus, meaning “fifth,” and essentia, meaning “being.” Eventually, the word’s meaning evolved into our modern definition of an ideal, a potentially heavenly example of something — you know, like a hamburger.
Vocabulary lists containing quintessence
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
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40 SAT words Beginning with "Q"
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This Week In Popular Culture: August 17–23, 2019
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The key to quintessence is that it changes in value through cosmic history and can be attractive or repulsive.
From Science Magazine • Jun. 21, 2023
The not-farewell address Nancy Pelosi delivered Thursday captured the quintessence of her history-making career.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 17, 2022
The chorus sing “Dust, quintessence of dust” on that chord, even before Hamlet has sung his first opening lines.
From New York Times • May 16, 2022
“These were the last shows where Broadway was the quintessence of popular music.”
From Washington Post • Mar. 3, 2022
Scientists sometimes also call it vacuum energy or, more exotically, quintessence.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
